Ensilage harvester



1941- J. w. LINDLY ENSILAGE HARVESTER Filed June 17, 1940.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 James MA (77d! ATTO R N EYS WITNESS Aug. 26, 1941., Jw, LINDLY 2,253,633

ENS ILAGE HARVESTER Filed Jun 17, 1940 4 sheets hbet 2 N Vi s 4 James MZ and! INVENTOR w IIII ss ATTORNE YS 1941; J. w. LINDLY 2,253,633

ENSILAGE HARVESTER Filed June 17. 1940' 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 3."EIIF-Jllllilllll\lllll[lllll@ gi L;

Jill

ass ATTORNEYS J. w. LINDLY ENSILAGE HARvEs'iER .Filed Juhe 17, 1940 Aug.26, 1941.

4 Sheets-Sheet- 4 ATTORN EYS Patented Aug. 26, 1941 UNITED 'STATES'PATENT OFFICE ansmazi r tvrismn t-2.2112121... Appucaflo: (c1: sir-1e)the crop adjustment of the machine for accommodating the same tovariable crop'conditions,

particularly with respect to the height of the growth; fourth, toprovide'a machine embodying traveling conveyors for handling the crop,in which the conveyors are moisture resistant so as to facilitateharvesting under wet or dry atmospheric conditions; and, fifth, toprovide a machine which may be drawn by a tractor and so devised as toenable the operator of the tractor to control the machine from aposition on the tractor.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a machine in accordance with myinvention;

Figure 2 isa top plan view of the machine illustrating its connectionwith a tractor and the manner in which a wagon or the like may beassociated with the machine for collecting the ensilage;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of Figure 2,;

Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line 6--8 of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a view taken from the position indicated by line 'I-1 ofFigure 6; 1

Figure 8 is a sectional view along the line 8-8 of Figure 7, with thegears and shaft parts illustrated in elevation;

Figure 9 is an end elevational view of the cutter cylinder housingillustrating the driving mech- Figure 15 is an enlarged sectional viewalong the line lI-Jl of Figure 1.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate my inventiomI make use ofsupporting wheels 28 and 2| mounted on an axle 22 carried by a frame 23best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Axle 22 is rotatably iournaled inbearings 24 carried by the frame 23. Fig. 1 illustrates frame members 25and 28 which extend upwardly from the frame 23 and have their upper endsconnected to aflordstructure so far as general operation is conanism forthe elevating canvas and one of the feed rolls;

Figure 10 is a sectional view along the line III-Ill of Figure 5;

Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional view along clutch associated with thepitman crank for oP- erating the sickle;

Figure 14 is a view illustrating a dog clutch release for the cylindercutter; and

cerned. The canvas 28 passes over a roller at the lower end of the unit21 and around a roller 38 at the upper end of the unit. Grain or othercrops cut by the sickle 32 is delivered onto the canvas 28 which travelsto move the material rearwardly of the unit 21.

Roller 35 is of the idler type, but roller 36 is power driven for movingthe canvas 28. Figs. 2 and 9 illustrate a grooved wheel 31 fixedlyconnected with the roller 38 for connection with a V-belt 38 whichpasses over a grooved wheel 39 keyed to a shaft 48 which operates thecutting cylinder 41, see Figs. 5, 6 and 9. Cutting cylinder 4| includesa plurality of spiral blades 42 arranged in cutting relation with afixed blade 43, see Fig. 5. Blade 43 is mounted on a support 44 insidethe throat 45 of the cylinder housing 48. Corrugated feed rolls 41 and48 are mounted inside the throat 45 between the upper end of the canvas28 and the cylinder cutter 4!. Roller 48 has a shaft 49 arranged forvertical movement in slots 50 in the side walls of the throat 45.

Springs ii are associated with the shaft 48 for.

exerting downward pressure on the roll 48 to hold the latter in feedingrelation with respect to the roller 41.

Figs; 2 and 9 illustrate a grooved wheel 52 keyed to a shaft 83 to whichthe wheel 81 is also keyed. A V-belt I4 passes over the grooved wheel 82and about a grooved wheel 85 keyed to the shatt 481 for driving theroller 41. Cylinder cutter 4| rotates in the direction of the arrow 56inFig.5,andthebelt38ofl3ig.9iscrossedso that the roller 41 is rotated inthe direction of the arrow 51 of Fig.5.

Fig. 6 illustrates the blades 42 as being fixedly related to the shaft40 through the medium of supports 58 and diagonal brace members 59 allof which are respectively connected with hubs 60 keyed to the shaft 40.To the end of the shaft 40 opposite the grooved wheel 39 I key a bevelgear 6|, see Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 14. Fig. 14 illustrates a dog clutchmember 62 keyed to the shaft 40 adjacent the bevel gear 6| for coactionwith a dog clutch part 63 in the nature of a sleeve splined to a shaft64 axially positioned with respect to the shaft 40 and extending throughan opening 65 in the wall 66 of a housing 61 secured to one side wall ofthe throat 45.

A bevel gear 68 is keyed to the shaft 64 for meshing engagement with adrive gear 69, see Figs. 7 and 8. In Fig. 14, a compression spring isinterposed between the bevel gear 68 and the dog clutch part 63. Theclutch part 63, while being keyed for rotation with the shaft 64, isslidable longitudinally of the shaft 64 so as to be urged into clutchingengagement with the clutch part 62. However, the teeth 1| on the clutchpants 62 and 63 are so angularly arranged as to cause relative slippingin one direction but to effect positive driving connection in the opposite direction of rotation. Accordingly, in cases where the gear 69might be suddenly stopped, the cutting cylinder 4| is free to continuerotation because of its inertia so as to relieve the affected gears offorcesincident to sudden stopping of the cylinder cutter.

To the shaft 64 I key a grooved wheel 12 for connection with a V-belt13, see Fig. '7, passing around a grooved wheel 14 keyed to the shaft 49which carries the roller 48. The rollers 41 and 48 are driven at thesame peripheral speed as the canvas 28. In Fig. 7, a grooved belttightening wheel is associated with the belt 13 and is tensioned againstthe belt by a spring 16,

' see Figs. 3 and 4, so as to maintain proper tension on the belt, aswhen the roller 48 is shifted vertically by reason of bulk variation inthe material being fed to the cylinder cutter.

Gear 69 is keyed to a shaft 11 rotatably supported in a bearing 18, seeFig. 8, and the shaft is also supported by a bearing 19 secured to theframe member 26 on that side of the machine, see Fig. l. A universaljoint 80 is interposed in the shaft 11 and the shaft has a splinedconnection 8I with a shaft section 82 connected with the crankshaft 34through the medium of a universal joint 83. In Fig. 13, the crankshaft34 is provided with a clutch plate 84 and is bored at 85 for looselyreceiving a shaft 86 connected with a universal joint 81. A movableclutch plate 88 is mounted on the shaft 86 and is urged against theplate 84 by a spring 89 interposed between the plate 88 and a plate 90maintained in fixed, spaced relation with a plate 9I through the mediumof bolts 92. Plate 9I is mounted on the crankshaft 34 and abuts theplate 84 in such manner as to coact with the plate 90 for holding thespring 89 under compression. Thus the shaft 86 is frictionally connectedwith the crankshaft 34 to rotate with. the latter as a unit under normalcutting conditions. In the event that the sickle becomes blocked, theshaft 86 may be rotated relatively to the crankshaft 34. Plate 88 iskeyed at 93 to the shaft 86 but the key extends through a slot 94 in theshaft to permit the spring 89 to maintain the plate 88 in properfrictional engagement with the plate 84.

In Fig. 2, the crankshaft 34 is enclosed in a housing 85, and theuniversal joint 81 is connected with a shaft 96 connected with a powertakeoff shaft 91 of a tractor 98 through the medium of a universal joint99. Shaft 96 is sectional and the sections are operatively unitedthrough the medium of a splined connection I00. Thus the sickle 32 andthe pinion 69 are driven through the medium of a single shaft unit, withthe shaft 96 so devised as to accommodate turning of the tractor 98relatively to the harvester.

To the draw plate IOI of the tractor 98 I pivotally connect a draw beamI02, as by a bolt I03, and the draw beam I02 is fixedly connected withthe frame 23 through the medium of structural members I04. The rear endof the draw beam I02 is mounted on the axle 22 by a bearing I05, seeFig. 1. Draw beam I02 is also connected with the frame 23.

The reel I 06 is mounted on a shaft I01 rotatably journaled in theforward ends of reel racks I08 pivotally mountedat I 09 to frames IIOsecured to each of the side walls 30. To the rear ends of the reel racksI08 I connect cables III which are wound on drums II2 secured to a shaftII3 rotatably mounted to and underneath the unit 21. To one end of theshaft II3, see Fig. 1, I connect a pinion II4 which is arranged in meshwith a rack II5 on a bar II6 having its forward end pivotally connectedwith a lever I I1.

The rack H5 is held in mesh with the pinion II4 by reason of a guidewheel I I8 rotatably mounted on a shaft II9 secured to one of the sidewalls 30, see Fig. 4. In Fig. 1, the lower end of the lever H1 ispivoted to a suitable support I20 attached to the draw beam I02, and aquadrant I2I is provided for the lever so that the latter may be latchedin different positions. Thus pivotal movement of the lever II1 impartsreciprocatory motion to the bar II6 which in turn causes rotation of thepinion II4 through the medium of the rack II5. Accordingly, the cablesIII may be adjusted for length to raise or lower the reel unit I06.

Rotation of the reel unit I06 is attained through the medium of a V-beltI22 passing over a grooved wheel I23 secured to the shaft I01. Bars I24have their upper ends loosely connected with the shaft I01 and theirlower ends are loosely connected with a shaft I25 which carries groovedwheels I26 and I21, see Fig. 2. Belt I22 passes over the grooved wheelI21, while a belt I28 passes around the grooved wheel I26 and a groovedwheel I29 fixedly secured to the axle 22. Bars I30 have their rear endsloosely connected with the axle 22 and their forward ends looselyconnected with the shaft I25. Thus the bars I24 function as an arm whichis'pivotally connected with the bars I30, which also function as an armpivotally connected with the axle 22. Accordingly, the reel racks I08may be pivoted about the axis I09 for raising or lowering the reel unitI06, and the bars I24 and I30 are loosely connected so as to accommodatevertical adjustment of the reel I06, with the two sets of barsaccommodating reel adjustment but. maintaining the belts I22 and I28taut in all positions of the reel. 4

Unit 21 is adjustable to vary the elevation of the cutting bar 29. Shaft53 has its ends rotatably journaled in the side walls of the throat 45and the side walls 30 are loosely mounted on the shaft 53 so that thelatter constitutes a pivotal mount for the unit 21. An upright I3I issecured to each of the diagonal brace members 28 and the frame 23, andeach upright is pro-- vided with a grooved wheel I32 about which a cableI33 passes. One end of each cable I33 is fixedly secured at I34 with theadjacent side wall 30, and the opposite end of each cable is connectedwith a drum I35 fixed to a shaft I38 rotatably mounted on the frame 23,as well as the draw beam I02, best illustrated in Fig. 2.

To one end of the shaft I36 I fixedly connect a bevel gear I31 meshingwith a bevel gear I38 fixed to a shaft I39 rotatably journaled insupports I40 bolted to the draw beam I02. The forward end of the shaftI39 is provided with a handwheel HI, and the handwheel is provided withnotches I42 for selective reception of a latch bar I43 pivotallyconnected with a support I44. Thus the unit 21 may be adjusted about theshaft 53 as an axis through rotation of the handwheel HI, and thehandwheel may be latched in different positions for supporting the unit21 in different positions.

Shafts 82 and 96, in being provided with universal joints 80, 83 and 81and 99, respectively, permit vertical adjustment of the. unit 2,1, andthe splined connections BI and I accommodate relative lengthwisemovement of the shaft sections. splined connection I00 alsoaccommodatesrelative longitudinal movement of the sections of the shaft 96 duringrelative turning. of the tractor 98, at which time the universal joints81' and 99 are also brought intoplay.

Material delivered to the cutting cylinder M is cut into predeterminedlengths, and the cut material falls into a throat I45 to be deliveredonto a conveyor belt or canvas I46. Fig. 3 illustrates the canvas I46 asbeing located partly inside a chute I41 having a delivery spout I48. Thecanvas passes over rollers I49 and I50, with the roller I49 positivelydriven through the medium of a V-belt II passing over a grooved wheelI52 secured to the shaft I53 fixed to the roller I49. Belt I5I passesaround a grooved wheel I54 fixed to a shaft I55 rotatably journaled in abearing I56, see Fig. 8. A bevel gear I51 is keyed to the shaft I55 andarranged in mesh with the bevel gear 6| to be driven thereby. Fig. 3illustrates the canvas I46 as being provided with cleats I58 forelevating the cut material. Nozzle I48 is located sufficiently high topermit a wagon I59 to be positioned thereunderneath for ensilagecollecting purposes, see Fig. 2. The tongue. I60 of the wagon ispivotally connected at I6I with one end of a beam I62 pivotallyconnected at I63 with an arm I64 pivotally connected at I65 with thedraw beam I02. The forward end of of the beam I62 ispivotally connectedat I66 with the draw plate IOI of the tractor. Arm I64 may be providedwith a series of openings I61 to permit the beam I62 to be shifted todifferent positions depending upon the width of the wagon I59.

Chute I41 is sectional and the sections I68 are detachably connectedthrough the medium of bolts I69 passing through flanges I fashioned onthe sections. Roller I50 is spring tensioned, as at IN, to hold the beltI46 under proper tension.

Fig. illustrates a slip clutch for the reel I06, which slip clutchcomprises a friction face I12 on one side of the grooved wheel I23. Afriction plate I13 is keyed to the shaft I01 and a compression springI14 is' positioned between the opposite face of the wheel I23 and acollar I15 keyed to the shaft I01. Wheel I23 is urged against thefriction plate I13 for imparting rotation to the shaft I01, but thewheel may rotate relatively to the shaft in the event that the reel I06is blocked.

. In Figs. 10,- 11 and 12, I illustrate the specific construction of thebelt 28, which also applies to the belt I46. The belt 28 is providedwith cleats I18 at suitable intervals, In Fig. 11, the belt 28 is loopedat I11 to lie against the two side faces and one edge face of a bar I18which extends the full width of the belt. A U-shaped bar I19 is slippedover the loop I11, and the bar is securely clamped to the loop and thebar I18 by screws I spaced at suitable intervals. Bar I19 is providedwith curvatures I8I for engagement with the belt 28 so as to reduce wearthereon. Belt 28, together with the belt I46, is

water-resistant so as not to be affected by mois-' ture conditions. Thebelt may comprise suitably rubberized material.

Fig. 12 illustrates the belt 28 as having a fold I82 along one edge, butboth edges are similarly formed, with the fold I82 lying in a recess I83in the bar I18 so that the wall I84 of the bar I19 will have uniformpressure with the loop I11 throughout its entire length. Both side walls30 are each provided with an angle I85 which constitutes a track orsupport for the upper run of the belt.

Cylinder housing 46 includes a cover I86 having a hinge connection I81with the throat I45 to facilitate inspection of and service to thecylinder cutter as well as the feed rolls. Blades 42 are connected withthe supports 58 through the medium of bolts I88 to permit quick and easysubstitution of blades in the event of damage thereto. At the same time,alternate blades may be removed to cut the crop in longer lengths.

Having thus described certain embodiments of my invention in detail, itis, of course,-understood that I do not desire to limit the scopethereof to the exact details set forth except insofar as those detailsmay be defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

I. In combination with a tractor having a power take-off shaft, anensilage harvester comprising a wheeled support having a draw meanspivotally connected with the tractor, a cutting mechanism for standinggrowths, including a cutting knife, an ensilage cutting mechanismmounted on said wheeled support, a conveyor unit mounted on said wheeledsupport for moving thev cut growths to the ensilage cutting mechanism, ashaft means operatively connecting said power take-01f shaft with saidensilage cutting mechanism, a drive connection between said shaft meansand said cutting knife, universal joint means interposed in said shaftmeans, splined joint means interposed in said shaft means, saiduniversal joint means and said splined joint means causing said shaftmeans to lengthen or shorten and bend when said tractor is turnedrelatively to the harvester, said conveyor unit being pivotally mountedon said wheeled support and said cutting mechanism being carried by theconveyor unit, a reel pivotally mounted on said conveyor unit, .drummeans mounted on said conveyor unit, cable means wound on said drummeans and connected with said reel, a lever actuated rack meansoperatively connected with said drum means for actuating the latter,with said lever located to be manually accessible by the operator on thetractor, drum means mounted on said wheeled support, cable meansconnected with said conveyor unit and said last-mentioned drum means, arotative shaft having geared connection with said last-mentioned drummeans to actuate, th latter for raising and lowering said conveyor unit,a handwheel keyed to said rotative shaftand located to be manuallyaccessible by the operator of the tractor, and means coacting with saidhandwheel to latch the latter against rotation for supporting theconveyor unit in elevated positions.

2. In combination with a tractor having a power take-off shaft, anensilage harvester comprising a wheeled support having a draw meanspivotally connected with the tractor, a cutting mechanism for standinggrowths, including a cutting knife, an ensilage cutting mechanismmounted on said wheeled support, a conveyor unit mounted on said wheeledsupport for moving the cut growths to the ensilage cutting mechanism, ashaft means operatively connecting said power take-off shaft with saidensilage cutting mechanism, a drive connection between said 1 shaftmeans and said cutting knife, universal joint means interposed in saidshaft means, splined joint means interposed in said shaft means, saiduniversal Joint means and said splined joint means causing said shaftmeans to lengthen or shorten and bend when said tractor is turnedrelatively to the harvester, said conveyor unit being pivotally mountedon said wheeled support and said cutting mechanism being carried by theconveyor unit, a reel pivotally mounted on said conveyor unit,- drummeans mounted on said conveyor unit, cable means wound on said drummeans and connected with said reel, a lever actuated rack meansoperatively connected with said drum means for actuating the latter,with said lever located to be manually accessible by the operator on thetractor, drum means mounted on said wheeled support, cable meansconnected with said conveyor unit and said last-mentioned drum means, arotative shaft having geared connection with said last-mentioned drummeans to actuate the latter for raisof said feed rolls, and a drivingconnection between the other feed roll and said shaft means.

3. "In combination with a tractor having a power take-off shaft, anensilage harvester comprising a wheeled support having a draw meanspivotally connected with the tractor, a cutting mechanism for standinggrowths, including a cutting knife, an ensilage cutting mechanismmounted on said wheeled support, a conveyor unit mounted on said wheeledsupport for moving the cut growths to the ensilage cutting mechanism, ashaft means operatively connecting said power take-off shaft with saidensilage cutting mechanism, a drive connection between said shaft meansand said cutting knife, universal joint means interposed in said shaftmeans, splined joint means interposed in said shaft means, saiduniversal joint means and said splined joint means causing said shaftmeans to lengthen or shorten and bend when said tractor is turnedrelatively to the harvester, said conveyor unit being pivotally mountedon said wheeled support and said' cutting mechanism being carried by theconveyor unit, a reel pivotally mounted on said conveyor unit, drummeans mounted on said conveyor unit, cable means wound on said drummeans and connected with said reel, a lever actuated rack meansoperatively connected with said drum means for actuating the latter,with said lever located to be manually accessible by the operator on thetractor, drum means mounted on said wheeled support, cable meansconnected with said conveyor unit and said last-mentioned drum means, arotative shaft having geared connection with said last-mentioned drummeans to actuate the latter for raising and lowering said conveyor unit,a handwheel keyed to said rotative shaft and located to be manuallyaccessible by the operator of the tractor, means coacting with saidhandwheel to latch the latter against rotation for supporting theconveyor unit in elevated positions, feed rolls located between theconveyor unit and said ensilage cutting mechanism, a driving connectionbetween said ensilage cutting mechanism and said conveyor unit, adriving connection between said last-mentioned driving connection andone of said feed rolls, a driving connection between the other feed rolland said shaft means, an ensilage elevator mounted on said wheeledsupport, and a driving connection between said ensilage elevator andsaid shaft means.

JAMES W. LINDLY.

